Councillor Jiwan Virk

Councillor Jiwan Virk, who has been mentioned on this blog previously, was in Brentford Magistrates Court this week. The reason was for not complying with an enforcement notice (see item 29 for more info) against him. Here is a link to the original report.

The outcome was that he was fined £1000 and ordered to pay costs of £2958 and a victim surcharge of £15.

He is a terrible example to others. I think about the things that Labour Members have said about the Council’s tough stance on planning breaches over the past couple of years (again, posted about previously on the blog) and await their response to this with interest. Suspending him previously for just 4 months was inadequate. Far from me to interfere in the politics of the Labour Party but they need to decide (quickly) the extent to which they wish to disassociate themselves from such behaviour from someone who has the role of determining whether enforcement notices should be served against others.

1. Jiwan Virk has brought shame on himself and the Labour Group. We are going to expel him and call on him to resign as a Councillor. In retrospect, we accept that the previous 4 month suspension was inadequate.

2. The Labour Group Officers will look into this.

3. Possibly he [Jiwan Virk] should have known better.

4. Mark Bowen and the Tories are responsible for interfering in this matter.

5. Jiwan is a good man and has already paid a high enough price.

Any other suggested responses from the Labour Group Leader?

Update: The news has hit the papers. It was tongue in cheek when I guessed number 4. Councillor Virk has actually gone on record as stating that this is the case.